Enthusiasts Hope 2021 Ford Raptor Will Have a V8

Dodge recently announced that it will build the fastest Durango ever. So what’s the big deal? Well, Ford seems to have a toe-to-toe rivalry somewhat with Dodge. The F-150 and the Ram have had a healthy battle. Ford has played catch up in some regard with reaction to some of what Dodge has done with their pickup, yet the Ram remains far behind the F-150 in total sales.

Ram came out with a diesel engine for their pickup, and Ford answers with the 3.0-liter diesel. Though it was a cool idea, the sales have been lousy for that engine, and while it is part of the 2021 generation, I don’t think that engine will last the span of the 14th generation F-150.

So with the Ram TRX announcing a Hellcat engine in it, will Ford bring back a V8 engine to the Raptor? I speculated earlier that the 2021 Ford Raptor would get a V8 and I stand by that speculation. Ford of course does not comment on future vehicles and is distracted right now with the launch of the highly-anticipated Ford Bronco (hallelujah).

So, let’s recap some of the speculation and anticipation regarding the 2021 Ford Raptor.

What Will The 2021 Ford Raptor Look Like?
As you know, Ford just launched the 14th-generation F-150. While the looks are not dramatically different there are some new features. And we will likely see much of those looks on the 2021 Raptor.

I would hope, and be disappointed otherwise, that the Raptor will get its own grille. The 2021 F-150 has 11 different grille options and I’d expect the 2021 Raptor to be the 12th different grille. We all love the aggressive look of the current Raptor so hopefully the next generation Raptor will continue to look aggressive.

It will certainly need to, in order to battle the Ram Rebel TRX which looks quite nasty and tough. We also know (unconfirmed officially by Ford) as confirmed by an inside source at Ford that the two-door SuperCab configuration will not be part of the 2021 Ford Raptor. The 2021 Ford Raptor will be available as a four-door SuperCrew only.

Also, we know there will be some new colors for the Raptor, just as Ford launched new colors for the 2021 F-150 and also discontinued some colors. The Raptor will have a more limited palette than the F-150, but expect some bold color options too. I’d be disappointed if there weren’t.

What Engine(s) Will Be Available for the 2021 Raptor?
Leaked information hit the interwebs earlier this year pointing to the return of a V8 engine for the Raptor. Gone appears to be the high-output 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 of the current Raptor. That was a good engine with a lot of power, but I expect there to be a variant of the Ecoboost engine for the 2021 Raptor.

Plus Ford could be so bold as to put the F-150’s Powerboost Hybrid engine into the Raptor for extra torque and performance. I don’t believe that will happen, at least not initially.

Rather I do think Ford will put a V8 engine into the 2021 Raptor. I wrote recently on the Godzilla 7.3-liter V8 engine and how it’s available as a crate engine now through Ford Performance. In that article there was a lot of love for that engine. So perhaps a high-performance variant of the Godzilla could rival the Rebel’s Hellcat.

New Suspension Coming to Raptor
The 2021 Raptor will have a new suspension system that should revolutionize how it performs. Ford will put a new five-link rear suspension, replacing the current leaf spring suspension.

The benefit of this suspension include better ground clearance and significantly better articulation, for off-road performance and climbing over rocky terrains. It should also make the 2021 Raptor have a smoother ride.

Personally, I’d rather see Ford be a leader and not a follower. Who cares what Dodge/Ram are doing across town? They are behind in sales in trucks and performance cars for a reason. The Raptor is an awesome truck. The 2017 is my all-time favorite pickup truck. So, Ford doesn’t need to go crazy with reinventing the Raptor. Just make it better. And please put a V8 engine in there, so I don’t hear the griping from the old schoolers.

Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter, at his special Ford F-150 coverage on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can read the most of Jimmy's stories by searching Torque News Ford for daily Ford vehicle report.